Not what I was expecting from Tracy based on previous books. However it was an enjoyable read despite part of the storyline. It was funny and had me laughing out loud at times and pulled on the heartstrings at others. Jenny was very relatable and I think all of us miss the nostalgia of the days of our youth, wanting to relive them and how things were so much better in those days. A serious subject matter that was handled tentatively and with care. The story overall gives you a new perspective on life and will have you wanting to live each day to the fullest.

Bloom's writing is charming and witty, capturing the joys and challenges of growing old and finding new beginnings. The novel is full of memorable characters, including Jenny's quirky and lovable neighbors and her ex-husband's new girlfriend, who happens to be her boss. The plot is well-paced and entertaining, with plenty of laughs and poignant moments to keep the reader engaged. The novel also touches on themes of family, love, and the importance of taking risks. Is a delightful and uplifting read that will appeal to fans of humorous fiction and stories about finding oneself. It is a perfect book for anyone looking for a feel-good story that will make them laugh and leave them with a warm and fuzzy feeling.

Jenny discovers her days are numbered at the same time she discovers her husband is having an affair…

I was looking forward to reading chick lit. A fun, happy read but was quite surprised when it wasn't what I had in mind. This was my first book by Tracy Bloom and I'd definitely give her other books a read. I shed a few tears while reading this book.

*I received this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Bloom has unaccountably made me laugh even though the circumstances are tragic. Jenny is dying and she doesn't want to tell anyone. This is about her memories as much as about how she deals with death. It's touching and thoughtful. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC.

I really enjoyed this book. When life deals you lemons, it is all how you deal with it. This book gives a perspective on how one woman deals with the lemons she is given. There were some funny parts, but not as many as I thought it would be, but it was still a good read. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC of this book in return for my honest view. Receiving the book in this manner had no bearing on my review.

***I received an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for this opportunity.***

This was a great book. The story was captivating and kept me interested throughout. Can’t wait for more from this author.

I have to admit I put this book off and off (very oddly as I agpred Ms. Bloom's 'No On Has Sex on Christmas day' read review here

). I dreaded the fact that most people seemed to be laughing through the tears, and had had a few weeks of tough things happening to all of those around me, and this coupled with a lack of sleep had left me both fragile and not feeling very 'me.'

The odd thing, so, was that I should choose the ten year anniversary of my dad's death and a weekend of knocks and bumps in general to say 'eff it' and read both this and The Happiness List by Annie Lyons (another excellent book- read the review here ). Maybe I thought I was all cried out. Maybe I was challenging myself. Either way I'm so happy I read both. But enough about me-this is all about Emma. Lovely Emma who we meet first in the prologue on the 25th June 1996 in Bataria Beach Kassiopi in Corfu, where she is celebrating her 25th birthday and having the time of her life. It actually is the time of her life because fast forward to present time and she uses that day as a placemark for when she was at her happiest. The prologue leads you with a one-liner that says 'boom! You're in for one hell of a ride!' (It doesn't ACTUALLY say this, but you know what I mean).

Now, twenty years later she's at her birthday dinner and it isn't quite as special. We get the impression that the love of her life is the same guy from before, but things aren't so rosy and Emma has potentially devastating news. This book drops a large cold boulder into your stomach with Emma's health, her lovely dad's dementia, a mother who doesn't realise her daughter's worth, a daughter who needs a mother and a son who's growing up. As Emma decides to make the end count, you are met with a cacophony of images that bring you back to your own old friends, your own life, while making you appreciate what you have. It is fun, funny, beautiful and devastating and reminds me that Tracy Bloom is at the top of the pile for rom com authors. Thanks so much to Bookouture and Netgalley for the book in return for an honest review

I had been putting off reading this book for a while as I was conflicted, the blurb sounds as though the book could be depressing, and yet I know the author tends to write fabulously funny books, and I just couldn't work out how the two would marry up.

Having now finished this book I think it was completely fabulous, and although it is dealing with a terminal illness diagnosis, Jenny is determined to live at least some of the rest of her life on her own terms and decides to recreate 1996 the year she was the happiest.

It is also the year she met her husband and father of her kids, who she discovers has been cheating on her the same day she gets her diagnosi

Jenny though is a remarkably strong woman, and doesn't crumble under any of this but instead puts on a brave face and just carries on with life - only confiding in an older lady at the care home she works at.

I loved the opening few chapters where Jenny was a rep in 96 and having the time of her life and it brought back memories of a few nights out while I was a kids rep. Other moments that made me smile during the book were mentions of The Muppets (I was reading this going to and from watching Muppets take the O2, so anything Muppet was a sign to me of great enjoyment), the many Spice Girl and Euro 96 references, fabulous scene involving sumo suits and many more besides.

This could so easily have turned into an overly emotional book, but instead put a different spin on the story, and clearly Jenny really was having the Last Laugh for as long as she could. This was so unexpected, and so much better than I had perhaps wrongly been anticipating.

I am so happy I finally had a chance to read it, and it just shows that I really do need to have more faith in the authors that I love reading, even when the blurb has me unconvinced.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Love Tracy's books and this is no exception. Jenny has been diagnosed with terminal cancer and is unable to share that with her family. The person who is the most supportive is an elderly lady at the care home she works at. Jenny decides to throw a party that goes back to the 90's when she feels that life was perfect. A book that makes you think of your own mortality and how your health can have a massive impact on everyone around you. But its not mawkish by any stretch of the imagination.

A wonderful book full of tears of laughter and sadness. Very cleverly written for such a sombre subject. Recommended.

Tracy Bloom’s books are always witty, clever and full of heart. The Last Laugh is no exception. I absolutely loved it and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend!

Wow, just loved this one, covers sensitive subject matter close to my heart. What do you do when your life is turned upside down, and the punches just keep coming? You carry on and have the last laugh!! Tracy Bloom knows how to write!

Tracy Bloom is one of my go-to authors for funny, feel-good reads and I'm always excited when she releases a new one. (The No-One Ever series is fantastic!)

This novel, however? Wow. The Last Laugh is such a wonderful book; it's amusing, emotional, happy and poignant all at once. With it being a Tracy Bloom novel, I expected laughs, and there are plenty...but this book has so much more.

It focuses on former tour rep Jenny, who already has a lot to deal with in life. And that's before she finds out that she has terminal cancer...and then catches her husband cheating. As she navigates through a life that'll be coming to an end sooner than she thought, Jenny is determined to make her final days count, even though her secrets are becoming harder to keep from family and friends.

Coming to terms with a terminal illness is a reality for many, and I wondered how Tracy would explore this concept in a novel. The Last Laugh is beautifully written; very sad, yet also uplifting.

A great read that brings the chuckles and tears in what was a surprisingly entertaining read for the heavy subject choices it contained.
Review copy received from Bookouture via Netgalley

As bad days go you can't get much worse than Jenny's when she finds out that she has terminal cancer and that her husband is having an affair on the same day! Her life wasn't perfect before this day with two troublesome teenagers as well as not really connecting with her husband any more and so it starts her thinking that the happiest time in her life was in 1996 when she was working for a travel company in Corfu. Determined to have her wake while she is there to enjoy it she sets out to host a 1996 themed party.

A great book that could be depressing with the topic but certainly isn't, there are great characters especially Jenny and Maureen and definitely one that stays with you after you have finished it

A book I read with a lump the size of tennis ball in my throat and a smile on my lips. A book that I read with tears falling and roaring laughter. How do I then review such a book...

Jenny finds out she has terminal cancer and her husband having an affair all on the same day. The story starts with that, but it goes on to become something so much genuine where there are tears, laughter, joy and sorrow. Knowing that she has limited time and that funerals are for the living, she decides to throw herself a going away party. A party just like the one she had in 1996, when she met her husband Mark and hooked up with him. The story then goes on to remind her husband and her kids what true family is all about.

The Last Laugh by Tracy Bloom, is not at all about death, but it is about living, how to make the days matter, how to live in hope, and how precious every minute is.

We can live however we want, let's live in hope for however long we have...

No truer words than these have ever spoken. The author, Tracy Bloom writes romantic comedies, but this book surpasses the others. She has described life from the eyes of a dying woman, who wants to bring back the days of laughter, the days of love, and the days where relationships and friendships were important.

A beautiful, poignant read but without the drama of dying but the happiness of living... A story of joie de vivre and laughter...

Jenny is having a very bad day! First she is told she has terminal cancer and her first thought is to go to her husband to get support. Unfortunately she walks in on her husband with another woman so she decides not to tell him. Her two teenage kids are so self absorbed that the only person she tells is Maureen, a resident at the old people’s home she works at.
Jenny realises she was happiest when working as a holiday rep in her twenties. Jenny decides to try to connect with the person she was then and plans a nineties themed birthday party.
Given the main premise of the book it was very funny. I loved the characters and was rooting for Jenny every step of the way. I will definately be looking for other titles by this author to read in the future. Chick lit with a serious topic.
Thanks to Bookouture and Net Galley for an ARC.
#NetGalley #TheLastLaugh

The second book I’ve read from this author, and again I’m finding that it is far different to what I expected: in all the good ways. Jenny and Mark have been together since 1996: he was on holiday with his mates and she was working as an events organizer for a packaged holiday company in Corfu. Full of laughter and life, willing to live each moment and not worry overmuch about the next phase of her life, Jenny is far different from anything Mark has ever encountered. But the chemistry between them was unmissable, and when an illicit birthday party results in Jenny being terminated: Mark makes his move. Twenty years, two teenaged kids, and Jenny still working in events – now for a care home for the elderly, she’s wondering just when the spark and fun left their marriage, and how the organized and goal-oriented man she fell in love with turned out to be such a stick in the mud. Her birthday dinner at a local Mexican restaurant is an unmitigated disaster, Mark has to go back to the office to work on an upcoming takeover, and the kids barely look up from their mobiles. Nothing is quite as she’d expected, and she’s hoping that somehow she’ll find the key.

But when the test results come in and she discovers she has cancer, then catches her husband bending a co-worker over a desk in his office, she’s devastated, confused, feeling alone and not sure about her next move. Enter Maureen, a resident at the care home who’s calmness and cheerfulness never disappoint. Maureen will help her decide what next, she’ll listen and advise, be that voice of reason and comfort that she won’t get at home, from her mother, her absent brother, or from her father in his own struggle with dementia.

Maureen is a hoot: plain speaking, caring but not coddling, and asking Jenny to think about what she REALLY wants, pushing her to live in the moment and learn to step back from controlling everything to focus on controlling only what she can. Jenny decides that 1996 was the point at which her life changed – and that perhaps the girl she was would and could have been different had she kept contact with those friends, been more willing to be foolish and have fun, not taking her life with Mark so seriously – since he did enough of the ‘being focused and serious’ for a whole host of people. Finding a way to encourage yet not smother her anxious son, standing up to an awful friend of her daughter because the kid could (and should) do and be better, even pushing her absent brother into interactions, reconnecting with old friends, taking moments to be silly and laugh and even going for her Ginger Spice hair – Jenny’s days are filled with moments of memory, fun, life and chances. It’s only the nights where pain, fear and worries take over. But one last giant fancy dress party, themed 1996 to all but her brother who was told muppets and arrived in a Kermit suit – the growth, friends and fun she hoped for appeared on the back lawn at the care home. A perfect send off – just before she planned to break the news the next day to family and friends.

Bloom managed to take all of the angst, the regrets and worries, and even the minor annoyances that cropped up in Jenny’s life as she reframed her attitude toward living for the now, as she did her best to become “just Jenny” not “poor Jenny with cancer, she’s being so brave’ . Surprised with Jenny’s resilience and her determination to rediscover her 1996 self, and in doing so rediscovering friends, support and the family she thought was lost to her – the story comes with plenty of moments to enjoy.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Review first appeared at <a href=”https://wp.me/p3OmRo-9Dx/”> <a> I am, Indeed </a.>

Jenny is having a bad day to end all bad days. She is told that she has cancer and when about to tell her husband she walks in to find him with another woman. It's a lot to deal with, especially as everything wasn't exactly peachy before that day. Her mother regards her as a disappointment compared to her brother. Phoebe, her seventeen year old daughter has the friend from hell who is at present phoebe's role model. her son is cripplingly shy & withdrawn & she wonders what she has in common with her friends.

Jenny looks back at her twentieth birthday party when she was a travel rep as her happiest days. She wants to be back in 1996! The only person she tells about her diagnosis is Maureen, one of the residents in the care home she works in. Maureen has some ideas on how to make an exit!

This is a heavy subject but it is covered with a great deal of humour. I loved Jenny and although I thought she was crazy at times I really wanted her to find what she was looking for. This was a good read. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read it.

One thing I love about reviewing books, is the opportunity to read a wide range of books. I loved The Last Laugh. A very easy enjoyable read that will make you smile and give you a warm feeling.